The instant invention relates to an adjustable splint assembly suitable for immobilizing the leg of an animal, such as a dog.
Animals frequently suffer orthopedic injuries, such as torn ligaments, torn tendons, broken bones, etc. Throughout the years, it has become a well established practice to use splints or casts to immobilize the limbs of both humans and animals during the recovery period. Immobilization speeds recovery and prevents further injury. The art of splinting in the veterinary orthopedic medicine has offered all kinds and shapes of splint devices for various injuries and various animals. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. to Walker et al No. 3,470,873, Carlin U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,764, McCarthy U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,525, Dawson Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,090, Clarke U.S. Pat. No. 2,016,958, Invidiato U.S. Pat. No. 2,302,868, Dowers U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,519, Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,143, Campbell U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,992, Farley U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,361, Sterling U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,504, Gledhill U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,997, Parcher U.S. Pat. No. 2,339,515, Petersen U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,437 and French U.S. Pat. No. 1,295,297 represent some of the various embodiments of the general state of the art presently known in the veterinary and medical fields. Some solutions tend to be narrowly tailored to a specific animal or size of animal. These types of narrowly tailored solutions require multiple sizes and shapes to accommodate different animals and are thus prohibitively expensive to utilize in a commercial application. Other solutions are so broad in their intended applications, that they tend to not fit any type of animal correctly. Poor fitting and difficulty in use in a practical scenario discourages use of the entire solution. Accordingly, there is believed to be a need in the field for an adjustable splint that can be easily adjusted and fitted to a wide range of sizes and types of animals.
In this regard, the instant invention provides an adjustable splint assembly for use in immobilizing the leg of an animal, such as a dog. The adjustable splint assembly includes an elongated sleeve portion having a plurality of taping clips extending outwardly from opposing sides thereof, and a shaft portion slidably received within the sleeve portion such that the shaft portion and the sleeve portion are telescopically adjustable.
The splint is intended for use over a Robert Jones type bandage wherein a lower surface of the sleeve portion is placed against the bandage and secured to the outside of the bandage by passing tape through the taping clips and around the leg of the animal. In this regard, it is noted that that lower surface of the sleeve portion is preferably planar and that the taping clips extend tangentially outwardly from the sleeve portion adjacent the lower surface. This configuration allows the sleeve portion to rest flatly against the outside surface of the bandage. The sleeve portion further includes a plurality of a set screws on an upper surface that extend through the sleeve to engage the shaft portion and selectively secure the shaft portion relative to the sleeve portion. Since the sleeve portion is preferably constructed from a plastic material to reduce weight, the area of the sleeve portion where the set screw holes are located is reinforced with an elongated metal strip. Or alternatively, each of the set screw holes can be formed by a threaded metal insert. Both of these reinforcing measures are designed to reduce stripping of the set screw threads and to thus extend the life of the splint for multiple uses.
In use, it is preferable to link together at least two, or perhaps three, of the splint assemblies together. In this regard, the opposing ends of the splint assembly (one on the shaft portion and one on the sleeve portion) include complementary pivot connectors wherein the sleeve portion of a first splint is releasably and pivotably connectable to the shaft portion of a second splint. In a preferable embodiment, the pivot connectors comprise a flange plate and a U-shaped flange having spaced flange legs which receive the flange plate therebetween. The flange plate and flange legs are pivotably connected by a removable pivot screw that passes through the elements. One of the flange legs includes a set screw that passes through the flange leg and engages the surface of the flange plate to selectively secure the relative rotational positions of the pivot connectors of the respective first and second splints.
It is also noted that the adjustable splint assembly will preferably be constructed in several different lengths, for example in 12 cm, 18 cm and 24 cm lengths to further accommodate the many different bone configurations of different animals.
Accordingly, among the objects of the instant invention are: the provision of an adjustable splint assembly; the provision of such a splint assembly that is adjustable in length; the provision of an adjustable splint assembly that can be pivotably linked together in multiple sections to form a multi-segmented splint assembly; the provision of such a splint assembly that has an adjustable angle of rotation between linked splint assemblies; the provision of such a splint assembly that is light weight in construction; the provision of such a splint assembly that is suitable for use over a conventional Robert Jones Bandage; and the provision of such a splint assembly that includes multiple taping clips for securing the splint to the animal's limb.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings